The Book Work in the United States
By E. R. PALMER
The following paragraphs give unmistakable evidence that the sale of large books is increasing in the United States. If all field workers will co-operate with us in our effort to secure full returns, we shall be able to show the increase still more clearly. Atlantic Union Conference
We have before us reports furnished by the union conference agent for the months of July, August, and September. In each of these reports the returns are nearly complete, and indicate several features which are indeed cheering:— 1. The complete returns from nearly every State on all the points called for in an ordinary canvasser’s report indicate that the reporting system is well maintained. 2. A good degree of success is indicated in nearly every State. 3. The totals are considerably larger than they have been for several years. 4. During these three months fifty agents, on an average, have taken orders for 4,392 large books, and have sold helps to the value of $2,235.86, making the total value of books sold by agents $9,216.66. We are glad to see such excellent reports from West Virginia. From six to nine agents have been kept in the field, and their sales averaged about four hundred dollars a month. The canvassing work in the Lake Union is also coming strongly to the front. The general agent has furnished us with a detailed report of the work of each canvasser in the Lake Union, and we are particularly impressed with the good, consistent average shown by the agents’ reports from each State. The summaries for August and September show that thirty-five agents have sold 2,027 books at a total value of $3,721.80, and according to the general agent’s report this summary lacks considerable of being complete. It would have been far greater if all had reported, and it would have been more than double if all had put in full time. The average sale per hour by each agent was $1.50. What a splendid report might be shown by even this number of agents if each worked eight hours a day and five days a week. We are rejoiced to see the work coming up in the Atlantic and Lake Unions, where the battle for success is more than ordinarily severe. Thus far we have not been able to secure a full summary of work in the Central Union, but we hear indirectly that the work is making excellent progress. The following letter written by Brother Cochran, manager of the Kansas City Branch of the Pacific Press Publishing Company, shows the excellent success which has been attained by some of the workers in Missouri:— “KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 19, 1905. “DEAR —: I have looked over the published canvassing reports of the Missouri Conference for the past four weeks, and observe that a number of the workers are meeting with remarkably good success in selling our books. I can not insert the entire report in this letter, but have selected the names of seven persons from the report, showing the number of hours’ work and the value. | NAME |
HRS. |
VALUE |
|---|
| Mrs. E. A. Halladay |
138 |
$718.75 |
| G. C. Stephens |
135 |
$364.75 |
| Mrs. C. G. Bellah |
76 |
$241.00 |
| C. G. Bellah |
108 |
$607.00 |
| H. W. Stein |
49 |
$128.00 |
| R. S. McLain |
83 |
$133.50 |
| Flossie Foster |
125 |
$114.50 |
|
715 |
$2,307.50 |
“The people who entertain the idea that our books can not be sold certainly would be convinced otherwise if they should see this report. These seven persons average nearly $3.25 an hour for the time put in. With the exception of possibly one, the persons named above make the book work a business. Some of them have done nothing else but sell books for the last four or five years. “I am of the firm conviction that herein lies the secret of their success, or largely so: they entered the work with the intention of remaining with it, and the Lord is greatly blessing them. We have scores of brethren and sisters in all our conferences who can do just as well as these canvassers. “Yours in the work,
“JAS. COCHRAN.” If we are not mistaken, Missouri has been the banner State during the summer. From the first of February to the last of September, not including August, which has not been reported, sixteen agents on an average have sold 2,501 copies of large books, mostly “Great Controversy,” the total value of which was $6,844.65. The reports show a steady gain all through the season, and it is confidently expected by the workers that the report for October will be the highest record made in any State in the Central Union during the past ten years. The reports for the first two weeks in October made a total value of $1,681.50. During these two weeks two agents sold books to the value of $861.50. What a splendid revival we would see of the old-time prosperity if every State in this union would systematically and determinedly build up its book business as Missouri is doing. Southwestern Union Conference
There are only three conferences in the Southwestern Union, and Oklahoma did not report. Texas and Arkansas, during the months of August and September, show an average of twenty agents, who have taken orders during the two months to the amount of $2,549.50. The reports for the Pacific Union Conference show for ten weeks ending October 26, an average of eleven agents, with a total of 1,422 orders, amounting in value to $4,661.55. We have before us one week’s work as reported by a young man—the week ending October 6. He canvassed for “Heralds of the Morning,” and the week is such a perfect one in respect to hours worked and orders taken that we give the report in full:— |
HOURS |
ORDERS |
|---|
| Monday |
8 |
17 |
| Tuesday |
8 |
10 |
| Wednesday |
8 |
17 |
| Thursday |
8 |
10 |
| Friday |
8 |
17 |
| Total |
40 |
71 |
Value, $106.50.It may seem incredible to many agents who are dragging along with little success, but it is nevertheless true that the majority of them would come much nearer this excellent total in value if the time put in was as regular and full as shown in this report. Southern Union Conference
From the summaries in the Watchman, we learn that during the past eleven weeks there has been an average of about twenty-three agents working in the Southern Union Conference, and the total sales amount to $4,916.08. Reports have not yet been received from the Northern or Canadian Unions. We hope to be able to publish reports from these fields later. E. R. PALMER,
Sec. Gen. Conf. Publishing Dept.